Dienstag, 31. Januar 2012

Video: TypeWriter

Unused, out of date, forgotten – and yet - timeless. A word on a page transcends, as does film.
From the author's description.
A short video with amazing macro shots of a Smith-Corona.

Montag, 30. Januar 2012

My Gamma.


My Gamma. When I picked up my Studio 44 last summer, the first thing I noticed was the typeface‚ definitely a nice add—on to this great vriting machine. But something even more interesting I noticed only when I gave the machine a first longer test at home, I then suddenly discovered the unusual signs on the key next to the ^/‘ and was stunned: My Olivetti featured the greek letters γ (gamma) and μ (my)‚ I then noticed that the keytop with the greek letters had a minor difference to the other ojes: The letters were slightly carved in, all others were just plain flat. The same with the typeslug: Just a minor difference. It had a touch of gold‚ while the others were just grey. Also, it had a slightly different shape. I don't know anything about the former owners of this machine, but my theory is that a natunfl scientist or a mathematician needed these signs and had them added to the machine. I don't know who added the signs to the machine, but it's a nice addition of (hi)story to this machine. γ μ. maschinengeschrieben.blogspot.com

Samstag, 28. Januar 2012

Donnerstag, 26. Januar 2012

dead wood (help needed)



Photo taken by seller. 

5-second-video of the not-working carriage return lever

Mittwoch, 25. Januar 2012

Dienstag, 24. Januar 2012

Video: Olympia SM2

A very nice video of a greatly looking Olympia SM2.

Montag, 23. Januar 2012

text: (with translation) Schreibmaschinen - Ein Relikt aus dem 20. Jahrhundert?


This is the first longer text I wrote on and about typewriters, in last April. I've re-written it in August.
Now, to celebrate our 200st post today, we publish it.
You may find a corrected English translation after the break.

Samstag, 21. Januar 2012

Freitag, 20. Januar 2012

Guest in The Collection: Olympia SM9


When I wrote the typecast, I didn't have web access, but now I'm pretty sure it's an SM9.


Dienstag, 17. Januar 2012

Video: Schreibmaschinerie

Artist Caro Estrada uses punctuation marks to form soldiers and armies.
Amazing, completely analog, animation.

Freitag, 13. Januar 2012

The Collection: Remington Portable 2



The Collection: Remington Portable 2 In the series "The Collection", published every Friday‚ we present the typewriters collected by maschinengeschrieben.blogspot.com. This time‚ it's a mysterious Remington Portable 2. In 1920, Remington released the Remington Portable, not the first portable typewriter, but the first with a standard keyboard and same functioanlities like the office machines. In 5 years, about 600'000 of them were made, it was a great sucress. In October l925‚ Remington released an improved model, of which about 300'000 were made within 3 years. It was this the Remington Portable 2, although Remington never officially called it so. But you'd better read this whole story over at Richard Polt's comprehensive page, linked below. Being the first design of its kind, the Remington Portable is a brilliant model. For example‚ to keep the machine flat (only a little more than 8 cm high)‚ the typebars must be raised before writing. Ingeniousl Or, since a carriage return lever has to be over everything else, it isn't a big one‚ but a small one at the left end of the carriage. I thought it would be diflficult to get used to that design‚ but it's actually pretty intuitive. The ribbon re- Verse is semi-automatic‚ I think it works automatis- ally‚ but can be apyyygy operated manually. There's even a lever to make the platen rotate freely. The typing feel is good, maybe a bit short', but I like it very much. The maohine is a bit noisy‚though The shift mechanism is a light carriage shift‚ mo- ving the carriage a bit up- and baokwards. This machine was initially sold by the Remington House of Anton Waltisbühl in?urich. Sadly, the warranty sticker has yellowed over the years and I can't read the date of purchase completely, but I'm tempted U> say it was the 17th of ?? I927, with the year not sure. And this would fit the machine: According to Richard's page, early Portable 2 may have the same decal "RemingtonPortable" as the l. Mine does. But then oomes the problem of the serial number: Vll52l2. That would mean it was manufactured in October 1928.

Mittwoch, 11. Januar 2012

Guest Post: Typing Skills


This is a Guest Post by Miguel Chavez, visit also his Blog modernidadyobsolescencia.blogspot.com.
Miguel, thanks for this thoughtful entry.

Are you interested in sharing fascination and writing your own Guest Post? See this link.

Dienstag, 10. Januar 2012

Video: Remington Portable

A short video by me, since I am truly fascinated by my newest typewriter, this Remington Portable 2.
Only when doing such a video, you experience how difficult it is.
I am glad I don't have to do all the Tuesday videos myself. :)

Montag, 9. Januar 2012

Freitag, 6. Januar 2012

The Collection: Princess standard

On Epiphany, a royal typewriter: The Princess standard.





Donnerstag, 5. Januar 2012

Mittwoch, 4. Januar 2012

Dienstag, 3. Januar 2012

Video: Between the lines

Nice, although a bit artificial, footage of a Hispano Olivetti Studio 46,
opener for a TV show.

Montag, 2. Januar 2012